Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 00 (2011) 000000 Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 30 (2011) 292 296

Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences

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The study of relationship between obsessive beliefs and procrastination among students of Mohagheghe ardabili and Marageh universities
Hassan Sadeghi a* , Nader Hajloob , Fatemeh Emamic
a

. BD General Psychology , Mohaghegh Ardabili University , Ardabil , Meshkin Shahr , 5661114656 , Islamic Republic of Iran b. General Psychology PhD, University faculty Mohaghegh Arabili Ardabil , Islamic Republic of Iran c. MA General Psychology psychology , Mohaghegh Ardabili University ,Tabriz , Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract Introduction: The aim of current study is investigate the relationship obsessive beliefs with procrastination. A sample of 250 students of Mohagheghe ardabili and Maragheh universities was randomly selected and completed the following questionnaires: obsessive beliefs questionnaire (OBQ 44) and procrastination scale. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis. Results showed that variables of responsibility/threat estimation and importance/control of thoughts were positive and significant correlated and perfectionism/certainty was negative correlated with procrastination. In regression analysis from OBQ subscales, responsibility/threat estimation and perfectionism/certainty could predict procrastination. This finding showed that control of obsessive beliefs can be useful in decrease of procrastination. Keywords: obsessive beliefs ,procrastination, responsibility, perfectionism, threat estimation, control in thoght irrational beliefs.

1. Introduction Procrastination consists of the intentional delay an intended course of action, in spite of awareness from negative outcomes (Steel, 2007), and it often results in unsatisfactory performance (Ferrari&Dcallghan, 2005: Solomon & Rathblum, 1984). For some individuals engaging in procrastinatory behavior may become a habitual activity, labelled trait procrastination. Trait procrastination is the predisposition to postpone that which is necessary to reach some goals (lay, 1986). Procrastination also appears to be a troubling phenomenon. People most strongly characterize it as being bad, harmful, and foolish (Briody, 1980), and over 95% of procrastinators wish to reduce it (OBrien, 2002). Several studies have linked procrastination to individual performance, with the procrastinator performing more poorly overall (Beswick, & Mann, 1994; Steel et al, 2001; Wesley, 1994); and to individual well-being, with the procrastinator, For example, a survey by H&R Block indicates that procrastinating on taxes costs people on average $400 due to rushing and consequent errors, resulting in over $473 million dollars in overpayments in 2002 (Kasper, 2004). More miserable in the long-term (Knaus, 1973; Lay & Schouwenburg, 1993; Tice & Baumeister, 1997). Similarly, the medical field reports that procrastination on the part of patients is a major problem (e.g., Morris,et
* Hassan Sadeghi. Tel.: 0098 9356545188; fax: 0098 4517729629 E-mail address: sadeghi_66@yahoo.com (H. Sadeghi)
1877-0428 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and Guidance. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.10.058

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al,1990; White, et al, 1994); this is also reflected in the meta-analytic work of Bogg and Roberts (2004). In researches carried out so far, 4 different types of postponing thinks were defined. These are academic procrastination (Milgram et al 1998) known as delaying academic duties (assignment) up to the last minute, daily postponing committed in daily jobs known as having difficulty in programming repeated life tasks and completing them on time (Lay, 1986; Milgram, 1991; Milgram et al 1998), postponing decision-making (Glbailayan, 2003), and compelling or nonfunctional postponing behavior known as delaying of both decision-making and fulfilling tasks (Ellis and Knaus, 1977). There are many reasons underlying the behavior of procrastination negatively affecting all areas of our lives. According to the studies regarding tendency to procrastination, the reasons were listed as poor time management skills, self-efficacy beliefs, discomfort regarding tasks, personal characteristics (responsibility, perfectionism, and neurotic tendency, etc), irrational thoughts, inability to concentrate, fear of failure, inability to orient objectives of success, lowered self-respect, anxiety, external controlledness, problem-solving skills, unrealistic expectations, and working habits (Alexander and Onwuegbuzie, 2007; Aydogan, 2008; Balkis, 2006; akgci, 2003; Ferrari et al 2007; Howell and Watson, 2007;Pfeister, 2002; Senecal et al 2003; Watson, 2001). Some of these possible reasons for procrastination are evaluation, anxiety, difficulty in making decisions, rebellion against control, lack of assertion, fear of the consequences of success, perceived averseness of the task,and overly perfectionistic standards about competency(frost et al,1990).The OBQ was designed to measure six conceptually derived domains:responsibility, importance of thoughts, control of thoughts, overestimation of threat, intolerance of uncertainty, and perfectionism. Responsibility refers to the belief that one is able and especially obligated to prevent subjectively important negative events. Importance of thoughts refers to the belief that the mere occurrence of thoughts implies that they are meaningful and dangerous. The control of thoughts domain measures beliefs that it is possible and necessary to control thoughts. Overestimation of threat refers to exaggerated beliefs in the likelihood and severity of harm occurring. The intolerance of uncertainty domain measures beliefs that it is necessary to be certain and that ambiguity is intolerable. Finally, perfectionism refers to beliefs that imperfection and mistakes cannot be tolerated (Occwg, 2001).investigate relationship between procrastination and obsessive beliefs is important from some of aspects. Several investigation reported that procrastination related with negative emotions, and as investigations showed chronic procrastination related with personality characterizes (Self-esteem),social phobia,,(Ferrari,1989),and because emotional disorder are due to obsessive beliefs, also because procrastination proposed as ability in intense control thoughts and beliefs, emotions and performance(Howell&Vatsoon,2007),can say this variables related together. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate relationship between obsessive beliefs with procrastination. 2. Method 2.1. Statistical society, Sample and sampling method The method of this research is correlative- descriptive. Statistical society was 250 students of Mohagheghe Ardabili and Maragheh universities. We selected using random sampling from different faculty of these universities. 2.2. Measures 2.2.1. Measures of procrastination General procrastination scale (GP; Lay, 1986). The GP scale is composed of 20 items that measure trait procrastination on a variety of everyday acti vities (e.g. I always seem to end up shopping for birthday gifts at the last moment). Items are scored on a 5 -point Likert scale ranging from 1 (False of me) to 5 (True of me). The mean of all items yields a composite score, with higher values indicating a higher tendency to procrastinate. The internal consistency has been shown to be .78 and the test retest reliability .80 (Ferrari, Johnson, &McCown, 1995). 2.2.2. OBQ-44 (OCCWG, 2005).This is a 44 item self report scale that measures belief domains linked to OCD. The OCCWG found three factors as results of analyzing the OBQ-87 and then retaining the 44 high loading items: responsibility/threat estimation (e.g., Harmful events will happen unless I am careful), perfectionism/certainty

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(e.g., I must be certain of my decisions), and importance/control of thoughts (e.g., having nasty thoughts means I am a terrible person). Tolin,Worhunsky, and Maltby (2006) reported good internal consistency with Cronbach alphas of .93, .93 and .90 for the three factors. 3. Results In this section first, result of Pearson correlation for obsessive beliefs (responsibility/threat estimation, perfectionism/certainty and importance/control of thoughts) and procrastination are presented in (Table 1.) Responsibility/threat estimation (r.173) and importance/control of thoughts (r.134) correlated significantly and positively with procrastination. The correlations between perfectionism/certainty (r.120), and procrastination were also significant but negative.
Table 1. Correlation coefficient between variables obsessive beliefs and procrastination (n=250

1-Responsibility / threat estimation 2- Perfectionism/certainty 3- Importance/control of thoughts 4-Procrastination

*p< .05 **p< .01

1 .71** .716** .173**

2 .533** -.120

3 .134*

4 -

In this study, total model of ANOVA performed. Analysis results are provided in Table 2. Amount of regression was meaningful (F=6.615, P>.01), that set 3 predict variables (Responsibility / threat estimation, perfectionism/certainty and importance/control of thoughts), meaningfully predict criteria variable (procrastination). As seen in Table 2,OBQ subscales, Responsibility /threat estimation and perfectionism/certainty significantly predict procrastination, but contribute of importance/control of thoughts was not significant.
Table 2. Results of regression analysis for prediction of procrastination from obsessive beliefs

B Responsibility / threat estimation Perfectionism/certainty Importance/control of thoughts 4. Conclusion .320 -.319 .529

STD .091 .067 .082

Beta .383 -.424 .031

t 3.503 -4.778 .354

sig .01 .01 .01

The aim of this research is to investigate relationship between obsessive beliefs with procrastination and role of obsessive beliefs in predict procrastination. Research result showed that there is negative and significant correlation between perfectionism/certainty beliefs with procrastination, this finding correspond with research results of Seo(2008),Saddler(1999) ,Busko(1998),Frost et al(1990).individuals who have perfectionism/certainty beliefs are extremely motivated in accomplishing their tasks and are also very elaborate in their workings, because they have internal control focus and perfectionism beliefs, in additional to, they have internal tendency to approve(Frost et al,1990).but people who are procrastinator have intense need to external approve and note to others appraisal. also procrastinators because having high standards(Burco&Yuen,1983),postpone to do assignments, but people who have perfectionism/certainty beliefs because intolerance of ambiguous situation want do and end tasks very soon. Another finding from this studies that positive and significant correlation was found between responsibility/threat estimation and procrastination. According to the results of these researches individual who have responsibility/threat estimation beliefs have characters such fear of failure later consequence and others appraisal, procrastinators also, because having these characters postpone in start and complete tasks so could say that these two variables are correlated. This finding in consistent with the findings derived from the studies of Moon and Illingworth, 2005; Watson, 2001).Also in current study obtained that importance / control of thoughts positive and significantly correlated with procrastination. (Fernie etal, 2009).Having intense need for control of thoughts induce people

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constantly investigate and control them thoughts, and because fear of lose of control, procrastinate to do assignment. Result of multiple regression showed that responsibility/threat estimation is most important to predict procrastination ,this finding says that people who have more responsibility sense and estimate overly probably dangers, because fear of failure and others appraisal, postpone in start tasks, also because overly mental engagement that have due to intense review of probably dangers cant do them assignments ,so show procrastinate in behavior rand also coordination with the research results of Moon and Illingworth (2005), Watson(2001).Finally this finding obtained that perfectionism/certainty significantly and negatively predict procrastination. in explaining this result we can say that having perfectionism/certainty beliefs induce people had internal approve so opposite procrastinators dont need for external approves. in additional to p rocrastinators because having high standards(Burco&Yuen,1983),postpone to do assignments, but people who have perfectionism/certainty beliefs because intolerance of ambiguous situation want do and end tasks very soon this finding in consistent with research findings of Seo(2008),Saddler(1999),Burko(1998),Frost(1990).In summary, it appears that procrastinators because of having obsessive beliefssuch Responsibility / threat estimation, postpone to start and complete tasks. Ferrari, Parker, and Ware_s (1992) suggestion that chronic procrastinators feel that they do not have much mastery over their own behavior that this may be due to obsessive beliefs..Along with the current investigation, such research would contribute to a growing understanding of how difficulties associated with having obsessive beliefs may contribute toin procrastinatory behaviors. Overall, subject proposed this paper could useful for people especially students to do academic assignments.

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